


his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

by Amurtinyburr12



Category: DCU (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Inspired by Art, Psychological Trauma, Speed Force, tell me why the caged bird sings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 07:18:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13359252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amurtinyburr12/pseuds/Amurtinyburr12
Summary: Any other circumstance and Wally might have submitted to the unrelenting power of this unknown world. He can feel the pulse of the universe through his own heartbeat; the water, the earth and the stars live in him.But that's just it- this isn't where he belongs.





	his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

**Author's Note:**

> In preparation for S3, let's enjoy some angst.

_a free bird leaps on the back of the wind_

* * *

_the caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown_

He is _alive_ , and it's like nothing he's ever felt before.

Wally can barely make out the energy whipping past him and his legs are aching but he doesn't dare stop. Something, a gut instinct, warns him not to stop running. There's no way of knowing what might happen if he ceases so he keeps on.

He doesn't have any idea how long it's been and if he's being truthful, the speedster doesn't want to know.

Enveloped and suffocated by this field of raw and uncontrolled energy, he feels vulnerable. For the first time in his life, he's completely alone. There is nothing but darkness and flashes of energy. No where to run and nothing to do except keep running. He's a small speck in existence, racing through an infinite night.

And yet, impossibly, he _can see something_. He can hear everything, feel everything. It's as if the former Kid Flash has melted away and left nothing but a wisp of a ghost behind. But this ghost of himself is unequivocally connected with speed. It's a disarming sensation, so real that it almost feels like an allusion.

Any other circumstance and Wally might have submitted to the unrelenting power of this unknown world. The alluring and overwhelming taste of ecstasy, the drunken rush of adrenaline in his veins...it's enough to render anyone insane. He can feel the pulse of the universe through his own heartbeat; the water, the earth and the stars live in him.

But that's just it- this isn't where he belongs.

Wally can sense it, as true as a fish does not belong on land.

"Where am I?" He shouts into the void; knowing very well that no one will answer. His voice is carried into the winds, lost to the depths. He fears he already knows the answer to this question - he'd heard his uncle speak of a Force not too long ago. A Force he'd only felt a few times while racing through the streets of Central City.

When Wally begged him to describe it Barry had trouble explaining. "It was ethereal," Barry had started slowly. "I could sense a shift in the balance of the world and I was afraid. It was like a jolt, or a shock, I suppose. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before...and no one should."

He's scared. Wally can admit that freely. A terrible sense of dread was insidiously beginning to overpower him. If he is in this Force, maybe he's dead. Maybe he's better off dead.

 _Shut up_ , the speedster quickly puts an end to his self-deprecating thoughts. He _needs_ to get back to his friends. To Artemis. To Barry. To Dick. He doesn't want to stay here - and it isn't because he's trapped. He's afraid that if he doesn't find a way to leave... he'll never _want_ to leave. A taste of this new world and he can understand why Barry was hesitant to talk about it. No man should have access to this much power.

Barry was right to be afraid.

God, there has to be an exit somewhere.

 _Think_ , He mentally berates himself. _How did you get here? If there's an entrance, there's an exit._

As hard as he tries, and he tries _so damned hard_ , he can't recall where he appeared. It's too difficult to think clearly. It doesn't help that there is no sense of time here. Has he been here an hour or a year? The only thing that rings true is the sound of his feet hitting ground. Again and again and again.

_"Bart, we have to slow down for him! Try to siphon off some of the energy attacking Wally."_

_"It's no good, Barry. Aw man, Artemis is so going to kill me for this. Don't even get me started on mom and dad."_

_"Kid..."_

_"Just tell them, okay?"_

_"Kid!"_

Just tell them.

 _a free bird dares to claim the sky_  

* * *

_but a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams_

Wally was sure he was going to die - in fact, it's quite possible he is dead. Except for the fact that he's never felt more alive. Everything was just so vividly clear - he'd never experienced anything with such clarity and sharpness.

He senses something ahead but he doesn't slow. Before he's aware of what's happening, he slams into something so hard that it knocks the breath from him. Winded and in excruciating pain he collapses to the ground. Every molecule inside his body feels electrified and he gasps out a shaky, wheezing breath. At his fingertips, lightning dances across, flickering and terrifying.

What's happening to him?

"Let me go!" He screams, heart beating frantically and loud in his ears.

He painstakingly pulls himself back to his feet, involuntary tears beginning to fill his eyes. _Don't cry,_ he begs himself. Trying not to cry is possibly one of the hardest things anyone has to do. In an attempt to redirect his thoughts, Wally examines the wall he crashed into. It's completely clear, like glass but it's obvious that it's something else. Certainly no material you would ever find on Earth.

Experimentally, he taps on it. It's solid just as it was a few seconds ago. However, an obvious crack is found in it's structure. It doesn't take the world's greatest detective to deduce that the crack is from his impact.

Could the entire thing break if he hits it enough times?

Despite the intense agony, Wally is certain he wants to do this. This is the closest he's come to escape - he won't back down now. If he had no one to return to, perhaps he would be okay with quitting. But he does and _like hell_ is he going to let them down.

He lifts his fist, concentrating all his power and energy into his hand and it surges through him like an unbridled tidal wave. With an almost animalistic shout, he smashes his fist into the glass barrier. Everything inside him explodes and it feels like a paradox. He's breaking - ripped apart at the seams, exposed to the world and his thoughts are a jumble, his body has never felt pain like this.

Just as quickly as it comes, it's over and Wally is left standing at the wall of his prison. Not a single new crack has appeared.

He can't stop himself. The speedster leans forward against the glass, fear and strife so potent on his face that the tears streak down his cheeks without a buffer. 

He is dead. He has been sucked into this Force - there is no way to escape. It's as if he no longer exists - he is speed and speed is him. He accepts this. What else can he do?

It's just him and the lightning now.

_his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream_

__

**Author's Note:**

> This entire work was inspired by abisalli's beautiful art piece of KF (featured in this story.)
> 
> Please go support her and her wonderful art: http://abisalli.tumblr.com/
> 
> The poem quoted throughout is Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird." It's really an amazing piece of literature so here's the link if you want to read the whole thing: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird


End file.
